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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28287270">'Tis the damn season</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/CeceLovesWriting/pseuds/CeceLovesWriting'>CeceLovesWriting</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Katniss &amp; Madge friendship, Madge's POV, Minor Katniss Everdeen/Peeta Mellark, POV First Person</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 23:35:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,737</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28287270</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/CeceLovesWriting/pseuds/CeceLovesWriting</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Madge and Gale have known each other their whole lives and dated all throughout high school. But when they go to colleges in different states, they end growing apart. But what if fate brought them back together in the most wonderful time of the year?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Gale Hawthorne/Madge Undersee</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>'Tis the damn season</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>We could call it even</em>
  <br/>
  <em>You could call me babe for the weekend</em>
  <br/>
  <em>'Tis the damn season, write this down</em>
</p><p><br/>December 10th, 2020</p><p>Christmas has always been my favorite time of the year, I’ve been counting the days to the holidays ever since I was a little kid. Everyone always thought that would change once I grew up, but it didn’t, I might actually say I love it even more now. </p><p>Ever since I moved to New York to study music at Julliard, Christmas became the only time of the year I could take some time off and go back to my hometown in Beaufort (South Carolina). Most people don’t like going back to their small towns once they meet the big city life. But I’m not like most people. For the past 4 years, I’ve been counting the days until I could take my days off and go home, because that meant seeing my mom and dad, aka the people I love and miss the most.</p><p>It was always a perfect time, getting to spend some quality time with my parents and old friends, enjoying the Christmas vibe that I love so much. And this year wouldn’t be different. Well… except for maybe one little detail. This year, there was a big chance I might bump into my ex-boyfriend (my highschool sweetheart and possibly the love of my life), Gale Hawthorne.</p><p>Gale and I broke up two months after I moved to NY because we couldn’t deal with the long-distance relationship dynamics, but before that, we lived what I could call “a perfect love story”. </p><p>Because we live in a small town, we’ve basically known each other since we were little kids, but it wasn’t until our sophomore year in high school that we admitted that we had feelings for each other.</p><hr/><p>
  <em>January 24th, 2013</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Hi, Madgie!” Gale said as he waited for Madge to grab some books in her locker so they could head to their class together.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Hi! And why are you calling me that, you know I hate it!” She said as she punched him in the arm.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“That’s exactly why I do it. Because I loooove to annoy you.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“You suck, Gale. Seriously.” She said while rolling her eyes in annoyance.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“And you still love, don’t you Madgie?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I do, dumbass. Now let’s go, I don’t wanna be late”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Wait!” Gale said scratching the back of his neck. “I wanted to ask you something.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Oh, okay. What is it?” She was a little surprised to see him actually looking nervous, it wasn’t like him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I was wondering if you wanted to go grab dinner with me at Haymitch’s today? Just you and me.”<br/><br/></em>
  <em>They always ate lunch at Haymitch’s with their other friends, but dinner with just him sounded very different, good different. Madge has had a crush on Gale for a while now but was too scared to admit to him and end up ruining their friendship. This was the first time he had indicated he might have feelings for her too, which made her pretty nervous.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Oh, dinner with you?” She was starting to sweat because of the nerves.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“It’s okay if you can’t or whatever. I just thought it’d be nice for us to catch up.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“NO!” She took a deep breath. “I would love to. I think it’d be a lot of fun!” She said smiling at him.</em>
  <br/>
  
  <br/>
  <em>That smile has been making Gale’s heartbeat skip a beat in a way he never felt before.</em>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>LATER THAT DAY</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Madge was staring at herself in the mirror, wondering if that dress was good enough to impress Gale.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Katniss, are you sure this looks good enough?” She asked while looking at her best friend through the mirror.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Madge, you could go dressed in a potato sack and Gale would still look at you like you're the prettiest thing in the universe." Katniss answered in her typical charming type of answer.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"No, he wouldn't."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Yes, he would. I've been telling you for months that you shouldn't be nervous about being into him 'cause he's into you too, dude." Again, very charming. "And you look beautiful in that dress, it brings out the blue in your eyes. He's gonna love it!" Ok, that was sweet (and very unlike Katniss)</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Oh! He's here." Madge says when her phone rings with a text from Gale saying he's waiting at her front door.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Go get'em, tiger!" Katniss said with a wink. "Text me the details later!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>#</em>
</p><p>
  <em>When Madge opened her door, Gale was waiting by his car looking so handsome she almost fainted.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Pretty dress!" He says with a smirk.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>At that, Madge's face falls thinking he's mocking her. And of course, he notices.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"You look beautiful. That dress matches your eyes." </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Thanks." She said with a smile and a blush.<br/><br/></em>
  <em>Dinner goes well. They talk about their usual topics. But it doesn’t feel like they’re on a date, just feels like two friends hanging out. Which is a bummer for both of them, because they wanted it to be a date.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>#</em>
</p><p>
  <em>When Gale's truck stopped in front of Madge's house, she was pretty sure nothing was gonna change and that Gale didn't have feelings for her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Meanwhile, Gale was determined to make a move even if the night didn't go as he planned. So when they're standing outside his car and Madge is about to go inside after they say their goodbyes, he grabs her hand and pulls her back.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Madge, wait. There's something I wanna tell you."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Oh, ok. What is it?" She asks, realizing how nervous he looks.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I actually have been wanting to tell you this for a while now. You are one of my best friends and a very important person to me. But in the past few months…" He takes a deep breath to collect himself. "I've started to feel like I wanted to be more than just friends with you. I didn't tell you sooner 'cause I was scared you didn't feel the same but I just had to take a chance. So yeah, there it is. I like you, Madge."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>While Gale said that whole speech she just stared at him with wide eyes because it didn't seem real that Gale liked her back.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Gale, are you… are you serious? Is this a joke? ‘Cause, it’s not funny!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Am I being serious? Hell yeah! I’ve never been more serious in my life. Why would you think I’m joking?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“It’s just that, you’re you and I’m me. And you have all the girls in school dying to be with you, so it’s hard to imagine you’d want to be with me.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Gale was surprised to hear her say that, because to him, she was the prettiest, smartest, sweetest girl in the whole universe. It was weird to think of someone not liking her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Madge, you’re my best friend. I would never lie or joke about this to you. I like you, I’ve liked you for a while now. When I came to pick you up and saw you in this beautiful dress, I couldn’t believe what my eyes were seeing, ‘cause you just looked so beautiful it didn’t feel real. So yeah, you better believe I like you, a lot. And I don't want to be just friends with you anymore, I want you to be my girlfriend. What do you say?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“YES!! I mean, I’ve liked you for ages now but I was also too scared to say anything. But of course, I want to be your girlfriend!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>And then he was kissing her and it just felt like the whole world had faded and it was just the two of them. It had taken too long for that moment to come, but now it was happening and that’s all that mattered.</em>
</p><hr/><p>December 11th, 2020</p><p>I parked my car in front of Haymitch’s diner right now. Remembering that first date. Even though that happened years ago, every time I come home I remember that day like it was yesterday. </p><p>Every time I come home, I always try my best to avoid any contact with Gale or anything related to him, because deep down, I never really got over our breakup and still had some feelings for him. I’ve done a great job so far, mostly because I think he’s also been avoiding me. Because even though he’s studying in a university that’s only two hours away from home, he’s made sure to spend every Christmas away with his family.</p><p>So at one point I just stopped worrying that I would bump into him because he didn’t want to see her either. But I just wonder, why doesn’t he want to see me? Was he angry at her for going away? Did he… I stumble backward after running straight into someone’s chest.</p><p>“Oh my god! I’m so sorry! I wasn’t paying atten… Gale?!” Yes, that’s Gale Hawthorne standing in front of me.</p><p>“Madge?! Hi, sorry to run into you.”</p><p>“Hi, Hello!” Oh my god, I probably look like I just saw a ghost. Why am I like this?</p><p>“Hi, you look a little startled, did I hurt you?” Yes, you did. Just not in the way you’re thinking. But I’m not going to answer that.</p><p>“No, you didn’t. I’m fine. I just…” don’t know what to say.</p><p>“You just… what?” He has a look on his face that looks like he can see right through me, he always did that. I loved that look.</p><p>“I just wasn’t expecting to see you. You’re never in town on Christmas so I figured you wouldn’t be here.”</p><p>“Ah yeah, I’ve been taking my family to meet some new places. It’s been nice. We actually went to New York last year on spring break.” </p><p>“You were in New York?” He was in the city I live in and didn’t look for me or anything. Guess he REALLY doesn’t want to see me. “That’s nice! Did you like the city?”</p><p>“It’s amazing. We all loved it, especially Posy, she says she wants to live there someday. I can see why you love it so much.”</p><p>“Well, Posy is welcome to stay with me anytime she wants to, you know how much I love that little girl.”</p><p>“Yeah, I do know that.” He says this with a smile that I could only classify as sort of sad. And I’ve always hated to see him sad. So I say something that I’ll probably regret later.</p><p>“Were you going somewhere?” Why am I doing this?</p><p>“Uh, not really. I was actually at Katniss’s and was going home right now. Why?”</p><p>“Do you wanna have lunch with me? At Haymitch’s?”</p><p>“Yeah, sure. Just like old times?” He’s smiling again. But it’s not sad. It’s the opposite. It’s the smile that used to make my heart skip a beat. It’s actually doing it now.</p><p>“Just like old times!” </p><p>And that’s how we end up squeezed in a booth talking about how our lives have been in the past years.</p><p>“So, tell me about your family? I can’t even remember when was the last time I saw any of them. My mom’s always telling me about how she keeps running into Hazelle in the grocery store.”</p><p>“They’re all good. A lot of changes happening last year for the boys. Rory’s going to college and Vick’s starting on highschool.”</p><p>“OH MY GOD! I feel like an old person right now. I can’t believe the boys are all grown up. Where’s Rory going?”</p><p>“UCLA. Full soccer scholarship.”</p><p>“WOW! That’s incredible, Gale! I bet you and your mom are so proud! And how’s little Posy?”</p><p>“Well, she’s not so little anymore,” He says this with a laugh. “She’s 11, so practically a teenager.”</p><p>“I bet she’s starting to give you trouble, huh? Especially with boys.” Now I’m the one laughing. “Can you show me a picture of them? I mean, they’re all so grown up I probably would have a hard time recognizing them.”</p><p>“Yeah, sure.” Then he passes me his phone with a picture of all four of them and his mom.</p><p>They all look so different, especially his siblings. I almost have a hard time remembering that these people used to be like her family a few years ago.</p><p>“God, I miss them so much.” When I look up, he’s closer than I expected so our faces are almost touching.</p><p>“I miss you…” Now I’m blushing. “I mean, they miss you too.” With that, he moves away and we’re back to our starting positions.</p><p>“So, how long are you staying in town?” He asks while rubbing his neck, a clear sign that he’s nervous.</p><p>“I’m staying ‘til the 29th. Then I’m going back to New York to spend new year’s eve there.”</p><p>“Why don’t you come to have dinner with me and my family someday?”</p><p>“I don’t know, Gale. Wouldn’t it be awkward, considering our past?”</p><p>“Of course not, Madge. My family loves and they miss you. And they’re always pestering me about not talking to you anymore so… why not?”</p><p>“I’ve always wondered that too. I mean, why you stopped talking to me.” I keep my head low as I say this because it’s sort of embarrassing that I’m admitting this.</p><p>“If I’m gonna be honest with you, I don’t know either. I mean, we didn’t really break up on good terms so I guess I just wanted to give you space. And after a while, it just didn’t feel like it made sense to reach out anymore.”</p><p>“Oh! Well, I’m sorry to hear that. There were a lot of times when I would have loved to have you in my life in these past years. Not necessarily as a boyfriend, but just as my best friend.”</p><p>“I’m sorry, Madge. Let me make it up to you. We can start over, maybe. What do you say?”</p><p>“Okay, that sounds like a good idea.” He’s smiling now, a full-blown smile. It’s really rare to see one of those in Gale’s face.</p><p>“Can you come to have dinner with me and my family tomorrow then?”<br/><br/>“Yes, I’d love that.”</p><p>“Great. Does 7 sound ok?”</p><p>“Seven sounds perfect!”</p><hr/><p>
  <em>March 17th, 2017</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Gale was in the library studying for midterms when a text from Madge came in.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>M: Hey, I need to talk to you. Can I call you?</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Things hadn’t been going well for them, ever since she moved to New York and he stayed in South Carolina. It had been three months and every day it felt like they were growing more and more apart. That scared him because deep down he had always known this was going to happen once they moved to different states, and as far as he knew, there was nothing they could do to stop it. This is probably why he answered this:</em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>G: Can’t right now. I’m in the library.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>He just wasn’t prepared for her next text.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>M: You know I love you so much, right?</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>G: Yeah, and I love you too, so much. Is everything ok?</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>M: I can’t do this anymore. I’m sorry.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Gale was surprised (in a bad way) to read that, he always expected that if any of them would end things because of the long-distance it would be him. (but he wasn’t proud of that) He didn’t know what to say to that, so he answered the first thing that came to his mind.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>G: Okay.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>M: Is that it? </strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>G: I don’t know what you want me to say, Madge. It’s not like I can change your mind.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>M: I know that. I just don’t wanna hurt you.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>G: It’s okay. I’m fine.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>And that was it. A four-year-long relationship. A lifelong friendship. Over, just like that. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>It wasn’t until a few weeks later that Gale realized that maybe if he had insisted he could’ve changed Madge’s mind and they could work harder on their relationship, and everything would’ve been fine.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>But then it seemed stupid to try and to talk to her after all that time, so he didn’t. But there wasn’t one day in his life that he wouldn’t think about what would’ve happened if he had tried to change her mind.</em>
</p><hr/><p>December 12th, 2020</p><p>I shouldn’t be nervous about having dinner with Gale’s family. Back when we were dating, I used to do that every week, it shouldn’t be different this time. Except maybe for the fact that I’m Gale’s ex-girlfriend now and I haven’t seen his family in four years. But, yeah. NO reason to be nervous this is gonna be great. Who am I kidding, I’m almost freaking out with nerves.</p><p>“OH MY GOD! I can’t believe my own eyes, Madge Undersee standing at my front door! Come here, honey. It’s been too long!” </p><p>Hazelle says as she pulls me into the tightest hug ever, a classic Hazelle move.</p><p>“Hi Hazelle, it’s so good to see you too!” I say after we break apart from our hug. </p><p>“Come on in, how have you been dear? How’s that New York life been treating you? Gale and the kids went out to the bakery to grab dessert, I’m sure they’ll be back any minute.”</p><p>We sit talking in the living room, while I catch up on everything that has been going on in my life in the past few years.</p><p>“New York has been amazing, it really is a dream come true. But you know that Gale told me you guys went there last year.”</p><p>“Yeah, we did! It was a lot of fun. It is an amazing city. Although, I wish we could’ve seen you. I tried to talk Gale into contacting you but he just didn’t want to.” She says the last part with a bit of a sad tone.</p><p>“Oh… well… I’m glad you guys liked my city.” I put on what might just be the fakest smile in history, and of course, Hazelle sees right through me.</p><p>“Madge dear, can I be honest with you?”</p><p>“Always.” I say feeling kinda nervous about what she’s about to say.</p><p>“Gale would be so mad if he found out that I’m telling you this, but I feel like I have to tell you this.” She takes a deep breath before she goes on. “Gale never got over you breaking up with him. I understand you had your reasons, but he was just so sad after it happened. And I thought that sadness would go away after a while and it did, but every time one of his siblings mentioned you, he would get upset and sort of angry, and try to change the subject. My boy has a hard time expressing himself, you know that. So I’ll do it for him, he loves you, Madge, he never stopped loving you. Talk to him and try to sort things out, whether that means you’re going to stay friends or more. But don’t go back to that ‘not talking to each other and avoiding all contact.’ When he came home yesterday, after seeing you, he looked so happy it looked like he had won the lottery.” She finishes her speech with a bubbly laugh.</p><p>And I’m left completely speechless because I definitely was not expecting that speech from her. </p><p>“Hazelle, I… I don’t even know what to say. All these years, I thought Gale hated me for breaking up with him and giving up on us. I thought that’s why he avoided me at all costs.” Now I’m trying to contain tears from coming because I’m so overwhelmed by all of this.</p><p>“Oh Madge, honey, he could never ha…” She’s interrupted by the rest of the Hawthorne clan bursting through the door.</p><p>“MOM! We’re back. They didn’t have any cupcakes, so we just brought brownies.” Says the voice of a little girl I’m so excited to see.</p><p>“Guys, look who’s already here.” Hazelle says pointing to me.</p><p>“MADGE!” The voices of the three youngest Hawthornes almost startle me.</p><p>“Hi guys, so good to see you.” I say with a big smile because I really am happy to see them.</p><p>“I can’t believe you’re actually here. I missed you so so much. I was so sad when you stopped calling.” Says Posy while she keeps me embraced in her little arms.</p><p>“I missed you too, Pose. I can’t believe how big you are. You are so pretty. Even prettier than the last time I saw you.” At that, she blushes and squeezes me one more time before letting me go.</p><p>I look up and see two Hawthorne boys staring at me with big smiles and warm looks.</p><p>“Well, what are you guys waiting for? Aren’t you gonna give me hugs too?”</p><p>At that, both of them come in my direction and hug me at the same time.</p><p>“I cannot believe how tall you guys are. The last time I saw you, you were all shorter than me, now you’re almost as tall as Gale.”</p><p>“We missed you, Madge.” That’s Rory speaking.</p><p>“Yeah, it’s so good to have you back.” Vick says while hugging me one more time.</p><p>“Oh stop, you guys are making me emotional.” I say with a laugh.<br/><br/>“Kids, why don’t you come help finish up dinner?” Hazelle takes the younger Hawthornes with her, leaving me and Gale alone in the living room.</p><p>“Hi.” He looks so handsome. And I’m so screwed.</p><p>“Hi.” We stand just staring at each other until he comes in my direction and hugs me.</p><p>Oh, God! This is the first time I hug him in four years, but it still feels like home. </p><p>“Sorry I wasn’t here when you arrived.”</p><p>"It's okay. It was fun catching up with your mom.”</p><p>“I bet it was. I hope she didn’t embarrass you or anything like that.”</p><p>“Relax! We just talked about my life in New York.”</p><p>“If you say so.” He shrugs and takes my hand, dragging me to the dining room.</p><p>Dinner turns out to be one of the best of my life. It feels so good to catch up with Gale and his family, it really feels like old times. </p><p>After dinner is finished and I already said my goodbyes to everyone, Gale walks me back to my car. </p><p>“Thanks for coming tonight, Madge. It meant a lot to me and the kids, to Ma too.”</p><p>“You don’t have to thank me, you know I love your family. It was my pleasure.” We’re standing face to face now. “If anything I should be thanking you for inviting me.”</p><p>We keep standing face to face, just staring at each other. I feel like he wants to say something and I think I wanna say something too, but I don’t know how to say it.</p><p>“Okay, guess I’ll let you go now. Good night, Madge. It was really great seeing you again.”</p><p>When he starts to walk away I grab his hand and pull him back.</p><p>“Gale, wait!”</p><p>“What is it? Do you wanna say something?</p><p>I’m still holding his hand and I’m just staring at his face. There are a million things I want to say, but I don’t know how. So I just do the first thing that comes to my mind and kiss him.</p><p>And he’s kissing me back. This feels so good. Feels like home.</p><p>It feels so good I start to think about why I even broke up with him in the first place.</p><p>We break apart with big breathless smiles.</p><p>“I wasn’t expecting this.”</p><p>“Yeah, me neither.” We both laugh. “But it felt like the right thing to do.”</p><p>“Yeah, I felt that too.” He takes a deep breath. “But what does this mean for us?”</p><p>“I don't know, Gale. I guess we’ll have to figure it out.”<br/><br/>“Okay, we can do that.” He’s starting to look a little nervous now. “How about we do something, just the two of us? Doesn’t have to be a date.”</p><p>“Sounds good. Does next week work for you?” His smile fades a little at that. “It’s just that I got here two days ago and I haven’t seen Katniss and Peeta yet, and you know Katniss, she’ll kill me if I’m in town and don’t spend any time with her.”</p><p>“Yeah, sure. Next week sounds perfect.”</p><p>“Go, I’ll text you then, so we can plan what we should do.”</p><p>“Ok. Bye Madge, have a good night.” </p><hr/><p>December 19th, 2020</p><p>I’m meeting up with Gale tomorrow night. But right now, I’m keeping a promise to a dear friend. </p><p>“Madge, hi! It’s so good to see you.” Peeta says while pulling me into a hug.</p><p>“Hi, Peeta! Where’s Kat?”</p><p>“She’s upstairs, in the shower.”</p><p>“I’m already out. I sensed my best friend was here and had to come to see with my own eyes if it was true.”</p><p>“Don’t be so dramatic. You talk as if we don’t talk to each other every day.”</p><p>“Come here.” She says pulling me a hug too. “So what’s new?”</p><p>“Well, nothing much. I had dinner with the Hawthornes last week.” I say with a shrug as if having dinner with them was the most common thing for me.</p><p>“YOU HAD WHAT?!” That’s Katniss being dramatic again. “Why didn’t you tell me?"</p><p>“Calm down, babe. Let her talk. How did that go, Madgie? I mean, you haven’t spoken to Gale ever since you guys broke up, and now you’re having dinner with his family.”</p><p>“It was great. It felt like I was still part of the family. They all treated me with the same love they did when we were dating.” I shrug again. “And I didn’t tell you because I didn’t know what to think of it, but I’m telling you now, that’s what matters.” </p><p>"That's nice. But expected, I mean, the kids and Hazelle love you. They suffered just as much as Gale when you guys broke up.” Kat says with a kind smile. “How did it go with Gale?”</p><p>“It was great too. There wasn’t any awkwardness.” </p><p>“But?”</p><p>“But what, Katniss?”<br/><br/>“I know you, Madge. I know when there’s a but in your sentence.”</p><p>“It’s not a but, it’s just that… we kissed. I kissed him.”</p><p>“YOU KISSED HIM?!”</p><p>“Peeta, I thought I was the dramatic one.” She says with a smirk.</p><p>“Why did you do that?” Katniss asks with a puzzled look.</p><p>“I’m not sure. His mom said some stuff to me about how he still loves me and I guess that messed with my feelings too. And when I was leaving, it just felt like the right thing to do.”</p><p>“Okay, but I’m still sensing a but there.”</p><p>“We have a ‘date’ tomorrow. BUT I don’t know if I wanna go back to how it was before. I mean, how it was when we broke up.”</p><p>“Why do you think it would go back to that?” Peeta asks while putting a hand comforting hand on my knee. “I mean, you guys are different now, right?”</p><p>“We are, but the circumstances are still the same. We still live 11 hours apart from each other. And that was the prime reason for our break up. It hurt me so much and I know he hurt too. I don’t wanna go through that again.”</p><p>“Oh, Madge,” Katniss says coming to sit beside me and hugging me. “What are you gonna do?”</p><p>“I don’t know. I guess I’m going to talk to him and see what he wants.”</p><p>“Good, talking is always a good solution.” Peeta says in an attempt to comfort me.</p><hr/><p>December 20th, 2020</p><p>Gale and I agreed to a picnic at the park. We’ve been sitting on the grass for a couple of hours while we talk about, well, everything. It feels like we’re still in high school and everything is still perfect. Except it isn’t and maybe it never will be.</p><p>“So… Can we talk about what happened last week?” He asks while rubbing the back of his head.</p><p>“Yes, of course. I just wanna start by saying I’m sorry if it was too sudden.”</p><p>“Madge, you have nothing to apologize for. I wanted to do that, you were just braver than me, as usual.” He says this while putting a hand over mine. “I just want to know what it means for us.”</p><p>“I don’t know Gale, I’ve been feeling so confused lately. What do you want it to mean?”</p><p>“Well, if you’re asking me I want it to mean that we’ll get back to where we left. I mean, I know it would take some time to readjust but I think we can work it out.” He says this with a tentative smile and a squeeze in my hand.</p><p>“But what about the distance? That’s what brought us apart in the first place anyway.” I take a deep breath before continuing. “Our problem was not lack of love and affection, this past week has proven that. But we didn’t handle the distance very well the first time, who says we will this time?” I pull my hand away from his as a nervous habit.</p><p>“Madge, I can say we’ll make it for sure, but we can try. Are we worth at least that?”</p><p>“Yes, we are. But it hurt so much to break up with you the first time, I don’t wanna feel that kind of hurt again.”</p><p>“I don’t want you to feel that either. But I think we’re worth the shot. Don’t you?”</p><p>My eyes are full of tears just waiting to drop, so I stop trying to hold them and start crying.</p><p>“No, no, don’t cry. Why are you crying?” He says while brushing his thumb over my cheek to wipe my tears. He does so softly that I start crying more because I miss this, but I can’t have it anymore.</p><p>“I’m sorry, Gale. I can’t do this right now. I have to go. I have a lot in mind to think about. I’ll talk to you soon, I guess.”</p><p>“What? Madge, wait!” He tries to pull my hand but I don’t let him.</p><p>“I’m sorry Gale. I really am.” And with that, I stand up and walk away.</p><hr/><p>December 29th, 2020</p><p>I thought that by not getting back together with Gale, I would spare myself of the hurt I was so scared of feeling. But boy, was I wrong.</p><p>I feel awful because I know, even though I didn’t mean to, I hurt Gale by giving hope that we still had a chance then took it away. And I also hurt myself, leaving the love of my life, the only soul who can tell which smiles I’m faking, was the one the hardest decisions of my life, and it hurt me so much.</p><p>But I had to, getting back together to break up because of the distance again would be ten times worse. So I did the right thing, or at least I think I did.</p><p>I’m on a plane going back to New York right now. It’s weird you know? Usually, when I’m going back to NY, I always feel like I’m renovated but this time is different. I feel like I’m spent, no energy, no nothing.</p><p>But I’ll get over it. Once I get home, I’ll stuff myself with ice cream and blast Taylor Swift’s last album and soon everything will be better again, I hope.</p><p>#</p><p>When I get home, there’s a smell coming from the kitchen and there’s a bag on my couch. I freak out a little thinking someone has broken into the apartment, but a thief wouldn’t break in and make scrambled eggs after a robbery, right?</p><p>To my surprise, I find no one other than Gale Hawthorne standing in my kitchen.</p><p>“Gale?! What are you doing here? How did you get here before me? How did you get in the apartment?” I ask with a confused frown.</p><p>“Hi.” There’s that soft look and smile that I love so much, I can feel my heart wrenching with love for that guy. “To answer your question. I got here this morning because I knew your flight would only arrive at lunchtime.”</p><p>“How did you know that?”</p><p>“Your mom, I mean, I knew you were coming back on the 29th because you told me. But I had to ask your mom what time your flight arrived so I could get here before you. And about me getting in, your mom gave me her copy of the key so I could come in and surprise you.” He has a nervous smile on his face. “So… SURPRISE!”</p><p>“I am definitely surprised!” I say with a laugh. “But I don’t understand. What are you surprising me for?”</p><p>“I’m coming to live in New York. So we can be together.”</p><p>“What? Gale, no, you don’t have to give up on your life and move to a new city just for me.”</p><p>“No, you didn’t get it. Let me explain it to you.” He takes a deep breath before he continues. “When I finished college, I applied to a job here in New York. I planned to come to live here and try to fix things with you. Then fate decided to bring you back to my life a little earlier when we bumped into each other. The only reason I didn’t tell you about this was because I hadn’t heard from them with a confirmation and I wanted to be sure before I told you.” He’s smiling widely as he takes my hand in his. “That’s why I was insisting on try ‘us’ again so badly. Because you were my plan the whole time. It was always you.”</p><p>And I’m crying again. But those are definitely happy tears. Very happy.</p><p>“I can’t believe you. Are you even real? I love you so freakin’ much!” I say in the middle of my laughing-crying moment.</p><p>Then I pull him into a kiss that’s full of tears of happiness, laughs, and a loooot of love.</p><p>“I love you too Madge, so much!” He says with his forehead against mine.</p><p>“I guess Christmas does make miracles, huh?”</p><p>He drops his head back in this gorgeous bubbly laugh at my comment.</p><p>I guess I was right. Everything would be alright. I just didn’t need sad songs and ice cream. </p><p>All I needed was Gale and all the love he made me feel.</p><p>‘Tis is the damn season to be happy.</p><p>
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  <em>It always leads to you in my hometown</em>
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi guys, this is my first fanfiction. Hope you guys like it! Thanks so much for reading. I was really nervous about writing this, but it was really fun. I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions. Merry Christmas! &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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